Ant-exterminator



(No Model.)

M. BARTHEL.

ANT EXTERMINATOR.

No; 459,246. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL BARTHEL, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

ANT-EXTERMINATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,246, dated September 8, 1891.

Serial No, 384,633. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, MICHAEL BARTHEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, Santa Clara county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Ant-Exterminators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved device for exterminating ants and similar vermin.

It consists, essentially, in certain improvements in the containing-case and in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my box. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same.

In a former patent, issued to me November 30, 1875, No. 170,505, I have shown a box havin g holes upon opposite sides, a poisonous compound contained within the box, and an absorbent material arranged in contact with the compound for the purpose of keeping it in a moistened condition. In my present invention I have shown the box so constructed that I am able to dispense with the moistened absorbent material and to retain the compound in its properly-moist condition for use without the use of the absorbent material. In my present invention I have shown the box made with a rim composed of a strip of tin A, bent into a rectangular form and soldered together at one side. The bottom and top are struck up from small sheets of tin or other metal B, so as to have inwardly-tn rned flanges B, which fit inside the rim A upon opposite sides, thus forming the top and bottom of the box. The bottom is permanently secured in place either by soldering or other suitable means. I have found, however, that to save time and economize in construction the bottom is fitted snugly within the rim which forms its sides, and is made tight by pouring a little melted resin into the angle where the two meet. The top has its corners cut off, as shown at C, and when the flanges of the top are introduced within the sidesthe top is pressed down upon the compound, which has already been placed in the box, until the compound is compressed between the top and bottom of the box. Openings will then be formed at each of the angles by reason of the cutting away of the corners of the top, as herein described, and this allows the ants to have access to the compound within the box, while at the same time no circulation of air is allowed to pass through the boX, as in my former construction. The top may be pressed down from time to time, so that it is kept in contact with the surface of the compound within the box, and by reason of the compound being thus held between the top, bottom, and sides of the box the only access that air can have to it will beat the open angles, before described, and therefore the moisture will not be evaporated from the compound, and it will last as long as may be desired without the use of any absorbent material or any other care such as was necessary in my former device.

A compound attractive and fatal to the ants is placed in the box, and it is carried away and stored in their nests to be eaten and fed. to the young, the tribe being thus soon destroyed without getting into food and other articles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An ant-exterminator consisting of a poisonouscompound,andaboxadaptedtocontain said compound and having a top formed with openings in the angles and movable within the sides, so as to be kept in contact with the surface of the compound, substantially as herein described.

2. The box consisting of the sides, the bottom having upturned edges fixed between the sides, and the movable top having the inwardly-turned edges fitting within the sides and acting by elastic pressure to hold the top between said sides, while allowing it to be pressed down from time to time, and openings made by cutting away the angles of said top, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MICHAEL BARTHEL.

IVitnesses:

G. A. FOLLETT, I. W. (300K. 

